Tides are turning as tourism boom returns to KZN’s South Coast

For decades, the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast was shorthand for seaside holidays, where families would pack up the car and head south for a week of surf and sun. Gradually over the years, however, crowds have thinned, with COVID-19 dealing a final blow to a region already contending with ageing infrastructure, uneven service delivery and limited new investment.

In the last few years, however, the South Coast has been making a gradual comeback with cleaner beaches and increased demand for seaside holiday experience, with new investment beginning to flow into the area and showing the first convincing signs of recovery.

Nearly 8.9 million tourists visited the country in 2024, a 5% year-on-year increase. KZN was among the provinces to benefit, with the South Coast seeing improved domestic arrivals and better occupancy over the festive period.

According to South Coast Tourism and Investment Enterprise, reports from larger establishments on the South Coast indicated 100% occupancy rates during peak festive season weeks in 2023/2024, highlighting the region’s growing appeal to tourists. This surge, it surmises, is supported by clean, safe beaches, community-led initiatives such as “Keep Scottburgh Beautiful” and an increasing number of accessible accommodation options.

A community reclaiming its coast

Part of this revival can also be traced to a renewed sense of local stewardship, with community groups tackling beach maintenance, cleaning public spaces and replanting green areas.

Goodman Ncobeni, general manager of Blue Marlin All-Inclusive Seascape (pictured) in Scottburgh, says this has been key to restoring confidence among visitors. “When you see residents taking pride in the place again, fixing walkways, clearing bushes and maintaining public areas, it sends a signal that the South Coast is open and cared for. That matters to travellers who are deciding where to spend their money.”

The region now boasts seven Blue Flag beaches, the highest number it has ever achieved, giving credibility to claims that water quality and safety have improved. Environmental efforts have dovetailed with private investment, with guesthouses engaging in various small-scale upgrades as well as large refurbishments by established hotels.

Among those investments is the R15-million refurbishment of the Blue Marlin Hotel, a fixture of the South Coast skyline since the 1950s. The property’s decision to relaunch under an all-inclusive model aimed squarely at South African families signals a wider confidence in the area’s potential. The format, which is intended to be affordable but comprehensive in offering, has lifted occupancy to around 50% year-round, at the same time creating new jobs for residents.

“Many people think of all-inclusive as something you have to fly overseas for,” explains Ncobeni. “We wanted to show that a Club Med–style experience can exist right here, at a price that ordinary South Africans can manage. It makes holidays more predictable and accessible, especially for families watching their budgets.”

More telling is the ripple effect. Ncobeni says local service providers – from transport to tourism operators – are reporting busier seasons, while new collaborations with dive centres and nearby nature reserves are drawing attention back to the region’s natural assets. “When one anchor property performs, it pulls others with it. The community feels that momentum.”

He adds that discussions have been ongoing between local government, tourism bodies and operators about reopening a small regional airport to serve the area, something that would have been unthinkable a decade ago.

At the same time, influencers and travel media have also begun spotlighting the South Coast again, reframing it as a more accessible alternative to costlier coastal destinations.

However, challenges remain as infrastructure problems persist in parts of the province, relying on reliable service delivery to determine whether the recovery endures. The South Coast has rediscovered a measure of its old rhythm, this time grounded in local collaboration rather than nostalgia.

And if the trend continues, creating an environment of cleaner beaches and reinvestment from both the public and private sectors, the region could once again reclaim its place as KZN’s favourite holiday stretch.